


The Traveler's Tale

by owlbsurfinbird



Series: The Cambridge Tales [3]
Category: Lewis (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Humor, Lewis Summer Challenge 2014, Teachers, summer job
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-09
Updated: 2014-08-09
Packaged: 2018-02-10 23:56:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2045067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/owlbsurfinbird/pseuds/owlbsurfinbird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>James discovers that teachers are waterproof...</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Traveler's Tale

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to the_small_hobbit for Brit-pick and beta-read!

**How Do You Say, "Stop!" in Conversational Mandarin?**

**Cambridge, 1997**

**"A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops." - Henry Brooks Adams**

James Hathaway handed the last of the women into his punt, smiling and nodding and wishing he spoke a word, just one word, of Mandarin. The translator—who spoke almost no English, no French, and certainly no Latin—indicated that he should talk as if they understood. They were teachers, they would translate at home with their students' assistance. 

As he pushed off, he was captured in the viewfinders of twelve camcorders. As he pointed to each building, twelve camcorders swiveled to capture its beauty as they floated by. Then twelve camcorders swiveled back to him, all perfectly in sync, like a flock of birds, all waiting for his next words.

This elegant ballet went on for ten minutes before someone decided to take a different image. Their elbow was bumped as they held the camcorder. The device tumbled into the River Cam.

The Chinese teacher made a frantic grab for it and followed the device into the water.

James set his pole, dropped to his knees, and scrambled to the side, all the while trying to gently push aside the teachers in danger of tipping the punt. Other punters offered their assistance, calling over the commotion. The water wasn't deep, cold, or clear: the teacher surfaced a moment later, holding the camcorder high above her head, laughing and smiling. 

The rescue was captured by eight camcorders as three people were involved in the rescue of the device and the teacher, hauling her back into the punt, excited and happy. Other tourists documented the moment—it would be the highlight of their day. 

He dropped back on his heels, relieved. Second day out and no one had drowned. Good. 

James explained—slowly—that he would extend their tour. It seemed the least he could do. He was enjoying the opportunity to teach a group of teachers eager to share English history with their students. As he poled past the turn-around point for most punts, he noticed that eleven camcorders were trained on him. He sighed, pointed to another building, and hoped the other teachers would share their footage with the unfortunate woman whose camera had gotten soaked.

There was a sudden, general exclamation, and he turned back to see the hapless tourist setting up her camcorder. Twelve camcorders were trained on him once again. He grinned in relief and resolved, then and there, to someday take a class in conversational Mandarin.

Of course the water logged camera still worked.

It was made in China. 

 

 


End file.
